Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-09
Life Under The Equator.
A LAND WHERE TT IS NEVER TOO
HOT AND NEVER TOO COLD.


A LAND WHERE TT IS NEVER TOO
HOT AND NEVER TOO COLD.
Montevideo, the capital OF Uru-
quay, and its chief city, is as favor
ably located as any place in tile
world, says writer in le NOvem-
Der number of lIarper's magazine.
On a narrow tongue Of limestone
rock like the back Of whale, it
stretches out from the coast, with
the Atlantic ocean on one side and
the Rio dc la Plata on the other.
The streets are like a series OF ter
races, not only giving the most
perfect natural drainage, but fur.
nishng nearly every residence
with a vista of the river or the sea.
When it isa't June in Uruguay
il is October seldom too hot, and
never too cold. During the sum-
mer season the people Of Buenos
Ayres come over for the sea bath
ing, and the city is very gay. a
prevalent taste, which inspires the
owners of these villas to paint them
in gay colors-red, PINK, purple,
green and orange-is being some
what modified by foreign travel,
and of late years the quintas, as
we'll as the city houses, are taking
on more somber hues. There are
more beautiful and costly resi-
dences and business blocks in
Montevide0 than in any other
South American city except Sanu-
ago, the capital of Chill. Consld'
erable carved marble IS used, but
the standard building material Is
sun.dr'ed brick, and the walls are
usually from two tc three feet in
thickness, ire.proOf and impenetra-
bic to heat and dampness.
The Church Of the Mother, the
cathedral of Uruguay, is the largest
and finest building in the country.
There are three theatres; an Italian
opera subsidized by the govern
ment Il bull.rng which is crowded
every Sunday afternoon, under the
patronage of the President and the
aristocracy number Of clubs (;
public library with 10000 vol
umcs, mostly Spanish historical
and political works; a museum; a
university which is the summit OF
free school system, and all the
ct ceteras OF modern civilization.
The ladies dress in the height OF
I
the Paris fashion, the shops contain
everything that can tempt the
taste of an extravagant people;
there are dinner parties and balls,
and time is improved or wasted as
| it Is in Paris or Madrid. The gem
tlemen 90 to their counting-rooms
at Z in the morning, when their
wives and daughters 90 to mass.
At II they return to their homes
for breakfast of seven or eight
courses, then take siesta, go
bac, to their business ABOUT 3,
work until 6, and dine with great
formallty at Z. The ladies OF
Uruguay are famous for their beau
ty and fine complexlons-the bless
ing of the atmosphere; but after
80 they lose their symmetry OF
form, which Is doubtless owing to
their indolence.
Street cars run everywhere, and
pay big dividends, for no Spanish.
American ever walks when he can
ride. Even the beggars are liter
ally on horseback, and the stranger
is often startled by ragged and
dirty creature galloping up to him,
and asking in a plteOus voice,
"For the love OF Jesus, gentlemen,
| give me farthing to buy bread"
The national drink, for which he
will undoubtedly spend thus, Is
called cana, and in made from the
fermented juice OF the sugar cane.
1t contains 80 per cent. of alcohol,
and is sold at two cents a goblet,
so that a spree is within the reach
of the poorest man. All goods are
delivered from the shops by horse
men, for there IS not a cart in town.
When YOU hire a carriage, for
which you are expected to pay 81
an hour, a peon, called "chanca.
dero," runs along beside it the en-
tire distance, no matter how great,
so that he may get fee for opening
the door when you reach yOnr des-
tination. lie is actually fOotman
and is never allowed to ride beside
the driver, who is of better caste
and regards himself as a superior
being. No hackman will ever get
off his box, and if you refuse a
media (G cents to the "chancadero'
you are a miserable sponge.
The city is lighted by electricity,
and more than 800 telephones were
in use in 1885. Gambling is the
national vice, and men, women
and children selling lottery tickets
are as thick as newsbOys in The
cities Of the States. The porter at
the hotel informs you that he is
supplied with tickets for all the
drawings, the clerk at the store
where you trade invites you to in-
vest the change he hands you IN
his favorite lottery, and tells you
that a lady who bought titket Of
him drew a prize Of $4,000 last